Despite being the largest producer of apples in the country, the Valley is still unable to export its rich-quality apples as fruit growers are not being provided export licences.
Even the domestic markets of the “Kashmiri apple” brand are shrinking due to imports from China, Spain and America. Although 4.5 crore apple boxes were exported from the Valley to other states in 2012, the Kashmir-based fruit growers say a large stock of apples is lying in various cold storages of fruit mandis (markets) of the country as people are preferring Chinese and American varieties to Kashmiri.
“Even though Kashmiri apples are considered Asia’s best-quality apples, the same are not available in fruit markets outside the country which affects the economy of the state since 70 per cent population is directly or indirectly engaged in the horticulture sector. To top it all, the imports from other countries are further decreasing the worth of Kashmiri apples,” said Ghulam Rasool Wagay, president of the Kashmir’s Fruit Growers Association.
The Valley-based fruit growers say the state government has not taken up their issue with the Union Government of either raising the import duty of imported apples or providing them export licences.
“We apprised Horticulture Minister Raman Bhalla of our concerns in March. We told him the apple import from these countries is severely affecting the profitability of the growers in Kashmir. He said after the civil secretariat moves to Srinagar in May, the issue will be addressed. Promises have been made to us even before, but nothing has happened,” Wagay said.
There has been a decline in apple production in Kashmir from 15,50,000 metric tonnes in 2011 to 14,40,000 metric tonnes in 2012. The growers blame the decline on inadequate infrastructure such as the absence of enough cold storages, proper checking of the quality of fertilisers, poor irrigation facilities and ineffective scientific research.
Fruit growers say all developed countries score over Kashmir in apple production as they have best facilities available in terms of artificial irrigation, grading of apples as per their size, texture and colour, packaging and usage of organic fertilisers.
“These factors determine the quality of apples and we suffer due to the lack of facilities more than we suffer due to the weather vagaries,” said Fayaz Ahmad, president of the Sopore, North Kashmir Fruit Growers Association.
“It is unfortunate that there is practically no system of artificial irrigation in J&K where over 3 lakh hectares are under fruit cultivation,” said Fayaz.
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